Newcastle United are on the brink of securing a Champions League slot for the first time since 2003 when Sir Bobby Robson led the charge in the Premier League.
Back then United players rubbed their hands at the prospect at dining at Europe's top table for the second season running, just a year after St James' Park had hosted Juventus, Inter Milan and Barcelona no less. But hearing the Champions League music piping out around the famous old stadium would prove shortlived.
For while Newcastle qualified for the group stages both in 1997, beating Croatia Zagreb, and then again in 2002, seeing off Zeljeznicar Sarajevo in the play-offs, the dream ended before it began 20 years ago. When the Magpies plucked out Partizan Belgrade in the Champions League play-offs in summer 2003, few fans were overly concerned about the task in hand.
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After all, Newcastle did beat Lothar Matthaus' Partizan side 1-0 away from home thanks to a Nobby Solano goal. And the second leg, which attracted a crowd of just 37,293, was supposed to be some type of goal glut.
Instead, Partizan dug in and took the tie to extra time and penalties after a strike from Ivica IIiev five minutes after half-time. In the shootout costly misses from Alan Shearer, Jonathan Woodgate and crucially Aaron Hughes in the 4-3 shoot-out defeat sent Newcastle tumbling into the UEFA Cup.
OK, Newcastle got to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup that year and were only beaten by Didier Drogba-inspired Marseille, but it set the tone for the season. Sir Bobby never quite recaptured the magic of the 2001/02 and 2002/03 seasons and was sacked just a few games into the next campaign.
Newcastle were still paying off a 17-year £55million loan after ground improvements at the time and it would lead to belt-tightening in the boardroom. Bobby summed up the mood in his press conference that night and said: "I'm not thinking about money, I'm thinking about the disappointment because the lads are distraught.
"It just shows how disappointed we are. We're going to play in the Uefa Cup and everyone is disappointed and thinks it's awful."
The years that lay ahead for Newcastle would be miserable meaning Bobby's fifth-placed finish that got him the sack would be looked at as a crazy decision. The Champions League dream had slipped away never to return until now of course.
But there will be no play-off agony to endure this time around with English football's strong UEFA coefficient set to see Newcastle go straight into the group stages. It means the Champions League anthem should be played at St James' Park next season at least three times.
Fans can also start looking at possible destinations as titles and Champions League places are secured. In Italy, Napoli are on the brink of the Serie A title, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are scrapping it out in Germany while in Spain while the potential of a return to Barcelona, where United travelled in 1997 and 2002, remains in prospect with the La Liga side running away with it.
Whatever happens, Newcastle will be spared a night like Partizan Belgrade at St James' Park. The Magpies have one hand on a group stage place with five games to go.
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